Cheat, Laurel Fork
US 33 Bridge to Cheat, Dry Fork (Jenningston)
| Difficulty | III-IV |
| Length | 14.3 mi |
| Avg Gradient | n/a |
| Gauge | Dry Fork at Hendricks, Wv |
| Flow Rate as of 31 minutes | 5.03 ftmedium runnable |
| Reach Info Last Updated | February 25, 2019 |
River Description
Lat/longitude coordinates determined by Bill Waickman using Garman GPS System.
This is a largely isolated run with several riverwide ledges that harbor keepers at higher levels. In addition, there is a multiple channelized section downstream of the 12 ft falls that stays chock full of wood. Many of the rapids lean towards mean at higher flows (2 ft + on Rt 33 bridge gauge). All in all, the Dry Fork nearby is a much safer run for those lacking advanced skills, though this is certainly a reasonable intermediate run at moderate flows.
There are 2 ways to reach the takeout from the Rt 33 bridge over the Laurel Fork.
1-Drive west on Rt 33 to the Alpena Inn and turn across from the inn on Alpena Road. Take this road till it intersects with the Glady Fork wilderness road and bear right, then up over the mountain and down to Jenningston. Takeout is approx 200 yards downstream of the Jenningston bridge over the Dry Fork on river left.
2-Drive east on Rt 33 to Harman, bear left onto Rt 32 and drive 6 miles to a left on Rt 72, then left on the Jenningston road, cross the Dry Fork and turn downstream to the takeout. Option 1 is the nice scenic route while option 2 is better in wintertime snow conditions.
River Features
Put In
There is a (relatively) new bridge in place over the Laurel Fork that is a single span with no bridge piling in the water, and therefore no gauge on site. If anyone knows of a way of assessing the water level at the bridge put-in, please add it here.
Take Out
Trip Reports
Log in to add a reportJust looking at Google maps (I have not run this), it appears that this section (US33 to Jenningston) has a gradient of 60 feet per mile. There doesn't seem to currently be an entry for the section upstream of this one, but looking at the map it looks like a reasonable section would be from Road 40 to US33. This is about 12 miles and has a gradient of about 30 feet per mile. Does anyone have any info about that section?
EDIT: It's described in the West Virginia guidebook as class I-II.
Cat running Falls
I
I rowed this on Friday 6 May 2016. Myself in a cataraft and 9 Kayakers from the Chicago Whitewater Association put in at 3400 cfs on Hendricks gauge. The falls had a tree on the right and the left also had logs. I ran the falls in the middle. 2 miles below the falls was also a large poplar with leaves stretching from river right almost to the left bank. This was an epic run. If you ever get a chance to run it go for it.
Rowed this in my cataraft with 9 kayaks from the Chicago Whitewater Association. Gauge at Hendricks was 3400 cfs. One river wide tree with a narrow passage on left below falls. It was an awesome run. Ran the falls in the middle because there was a tree on the right side.
We did this at 5 inches at the bridge. The stream is full of downed trees . Getting around them required constant maneuvering. We had a very difficult portage around a strainer in a rapid about one mile below the falls. There is also a log in the river just under water at the level we paddled about one mile before the intersection with the dry fork. The portage around the falls is washed out and took a very long time.
This stream is runnable but much more difficult and dangerous since hurricane sandy filled laurel fork with multiple strainers.
Chipper styles the last rapid on the laurel fork
Doc Ed Rader running the large falls on the Laurel fork
Whats up with all the portraits of people that have nothing to do with the run? AW river pages aren't personal blogs, they are for river information. At least put up a picture of one of these people actually running a drop on Laurel Fork of the Cheat.
This is the AW Laurel Fork of the Cheat page. Open a picasa account for your personals please.